How did trust in the police change in COVID-19 times? A longitudinal study

Using a unique longitudinal database (large quota sample of the Italian adult population, N = 2,223) structured in 7 waves, we analysed how trust in the police changed in the 3.5 years between June 2019 (i.e., before the outbreak of COVID-19) and October 2022 (i.e., after its end). A latent growth model showed that trust in the police changed following a cubic trend. It was stable between June 2019 and April 2020, decreased between April 2020 and April 2022 and increased between April 2022 and October 2022, not returning to pre-pandemic levels. Two complementary models showed that this change differed from those of two other super partes institutions (the President of the Republic and the Judiciary), which showed quadratic trends. The variables that, according to the literature, explain the absolute level of trust in the police were not associated with its change. Strengths, weaknesses and possible developments of the study are discussed.